Working on this project can be all consuming at times, ask any of us that have been involved in this more than a couple of weeks. Although all of us have other interests, obligations and responsibilities, due to the nature of it, the project takes over our lives most days. Every now and then, it takes someone to refocus my attention. Yesterday, that refocusing came from an old friend from my previous life in the military, SSG Stephen Quarles. He asked me to do him a favor, but in reality, the favor was for my benefit and ultimately for the core of this project by taking some time to reflect on the reason behind this project and the personal histories each photo represents for those of us that survived combat and for those who sacrificed their lives on the very battlefields the photos reflect.

Image Submitted by Luis Jurado, Jr.

This project is more than a collection of photos and stories, more than a book. This project is a record of the lives we once lived, realities that now exist in our dreams and nightmares. This book will be a window into the past for those who lived inside it to reflect back on and a tool for those that have not to gain understanding with. That old cliché which says a picture is worth a thousand words could not be more true in this instance. Hundreds of books have been written and thousands more will be written on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but nothing brings a flood of memories quite like a photograph. Each new one we receive becomes a new piece to the mural that is this project, bringing with it a new perspective on a reality we that have been to war all share. This HD world we all live in perhaps is what makes the recent conflicts so different. No longer is the battlefield we shared a distant memory only to re-emerge upon the closing of our tired eyes, technology awakens these moments simply by the power switch to our cameras or the window inside our laptops. Not to say that we are the first to document war via film, we have since the Civil War. However, these are the first conflicts captured in the digital age, and each of us can prepare a personal historical record without the work of a film crew.

Image Submitted by Luis Jurado, Jr.

This project, through the artistic creations of those who have lived and died on those battlefields forever frozen in the silicon chips of our digital lives, joins the seams of those unique, personal perspectives into a mural of the realities we all share.

As we gear up for this expedition in just over a week, I will reflect on why we are doing this, what makes this project different and the purpose of it all. I will take SSG Q’s advice and do my best to carry the memories of the men and women who shared this momentous time in all of our personal histories. Though each of our experiences differ as each of us does from one another, we all share a common thread that held us together, a loyalty not to politics, creed, race or religion. A loyalty to one another, to watch out for and protect the one on your right and the one on your left. This book is a historical record of the events that we all shared, the moments our families were unaware of and the memories of those we lost, but most of all, it is a record of the brotherhood of US.

As an artist I am inspired with each of the pieces of art I see in these photos. If these words aren't enough to get people everywhere sending in photos I dont't know what will.. I'm so excited to see what the expedition comes up with! My prayers are with you both to return safely and document as much as you can before it's lost!

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Jaeson "Doc" Parsons

Founder and CEO of The Graffiti of War Project, Doc is a decorated combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom where he was a combat medic with the 54th Engineer Battalion. He is currently the a journalist for Force 12 Media and is featured weekly on SOFREP.com. Docas been featured in numerous media outlets such as Wired.com, Maxim.com and BusinessInsider.com. For more information about Jaeson "Doc" Parsons click HERE or send him an EMAIL.